Folding box.



No. 692,563. Patented Feb. 4, 902.

z. B. WEBB.

FOLDING BOX.

(Applicatidn filed July 12, 1901.)

(No Mullah) 'NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ZAIDA B. WEBB, OF Wl-IIPPANY, NEW JERSEY, ASSTGNOR TO WEBB FOLDING BOX COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FOLDING BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 692,563, dated February 4, 190 2. Application filed July 12, 1901. Serial No. 67,959. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ZAIDA B. WEBB, of Whippany, Morris county, New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of folding and other boxes which are provided with integral handles.

The object of my invention is to produce a box of this character which is simple and strong, easy to set up and to knock down, which has the handle constructed in such a way that it is secure, and in which the two parts of the handle have a sliding connection, so that when the boxes are filled they may be packed one on the other and the handles will, by reason of the sliding connection, flatten down without injury and without disarranging the pile of boxes.

To these ends myinvention consists-of the handle-box, the construction and arrangement of which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is a perspective View of a partlyset-up box, showing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the formed box with the handle members in engagement; and Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview similar to Fig. 2, but with the handle flattened down and its members slid one on the other.

The box may be of any approved type, but the handle members, as hereinafter referred to,are formed preferably integral with opposed edges of the box. As illustrated, the box has the bottom 10, the side pieces 11, and the end pieces 12, the side pieceshaving also the infolding flaps 13 and 14, which overlap the box ends, the first-mentioned flap 13 having a tongue 15 to enter and engage the slot 16, formed partly in the flap 14 and partly in the extension or handle member 17 thereon. This box, with the exception of the handle portion, is like the box shown in my application, Serial No. 63,509, filed June 7, 1901, and from the description to follow it will be seen that this type of box is well suited to have the handles attached as specified; but, on the other hand, it will be clearly seen that these handle members 17 may project from any two opposed edges of the box.

As shown, each handle member 17 has at its free end a laterally-extending tongue 18, and themember is laterally notched, as shown at 19, behind the tongue, while at its inner end the notch 19 merges in a longitudinal slot 20, extending at essentially right angles to the notch 19. By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that this slot 20 is in only one of the handle members 17. Itwill be observed, too, that each handle member is at its base the full width of the box end, thus giving to the member the necessary strength and adding finish to the box; but obviously the matter of width can be made to suit the taste, so long as the necessary strength is maintained.

The box has a cover 21 of the usual kind, adapted to fold inward between the open handle members 17, and when the box. is filled and the cover in position the handle members are folded inward over the box top and their free ends are made to overlap, While the notched portions are placed in engagement with each other, and in this connection it will be observed that the notches extend about half across the handle members, so that when the two tongues 18 are engaged they will not project beyond the sides of the complete handle.

It will be seen that were it not for the slot 20 the handle members when united would have a rigid connection, and consequently that if another box or any weight were placed on'the handle it would be jammed out of shape or the box would slider; but by reason of the slot 20 when'the handle is flattened down the tongue of one handle me'm'ber slides longitudinally in the slot 20, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the complete handle lies perfectly flat on the box top and so no injury ensues.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with a box, of opposed handle members attached to the box edges, said members being adapted to overlap each other and provided with laterally-extending andengaging tongues and one of the said mem bers having means to permit the tongue which engages it to slide longitudinally therein so that the engaging parts may be readily flattened down on the box top.

2. The combination with a box, of opposed handle members secured thereto, the members having laterally arranged engaging tongues and one member being slotted longitndinally near one of the tongues so as to permit the tongue on the opposed member to slide in the slot when the two tongues are engaged.

3. The combination with a folding box, of side pieces formed integral with opposed parts of the box so as to project from opposite edges thereof, each member having laterally-arranged tongues near the free end and one member being slotted longitudinally near the said tongue so as to permit a sliding engagement of the tongues, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ZAIDA B. WEBB.

In presence of- HENRY H. DAWSON, LAURA E. HARDGROVE. 

